Sekai no kage
by Hye-suk Kim
Summary: Hei was thrust into a different world when a contractor's power goes wrong. In the struggle between good and evil, Hei must join a ragtag group of unlikely heroes while protecting his secret. But, with danger closing in, secrets are hard to keep silent.
1. Chapter 1: The Arrival

**Disclaimer:**

**I do not own either Darker Than Black or Dragon Lance. I never have and never will. Also, there are passages taken from the Dragon Lance Chronicle novel in here. They too do not belong to me. **

**R&R is appreciated and flames are accepted although disappointing they are welcome. Constructive criticism is warmly receive and a writers best friend. Enjoy. Also, does anyone want pairings in this fanfic? I will do all pairings, keep in mind that I will try to keep this a PG-13 rating aka rated T. **

**Thanks.**

Chapter 1

The arrival

Hei had no idea where he was, or how he had gotten there. He had come to a logical conclusion of how he was where he was, but it was still a 50% chance he was wrong. Leaning back in the chair he was currently occupying, Hei eyed his surroundings. One of the reasons he had chosen this spot was due to the visibility it provided. It was close to a window for easy escape but also gave the occupant an almost 270 degree visual range of the room.

A blazing fire crackled cheerfully in the hearth as the Inn of Last Homes began to fill up. Every single patron was carefully analyzed and determined if he or she was an immediate threat before filed away for future use. The entire process took less than two seconds; Hei's face never lost its pleasant, easy-going smile, and open honest expression.

As evening descended, a buxom read-head approached his table, "I would like to thank you for all the help you have given me this afternoon. Setting up the inn was much easier with an extra hand."

Answering easily with Li Shensheng's gentle smile and soft voice, Hei spoke, "Ah, it's nothing, you seemed in the need of help."

Sticking out her lower lip, the barmaid pouted, "but this is the thirteenth time in a week that you have helped me out even though the agreement was that you would cook for us twice a day to pay for you room and board!"

Rubbing the back of his head, Hei responded, "Eh, _betsuni nandemonai_. I even get some extra steel to spend on new clothes."

"And in turn you spend most of it on more food as well. After all you eat more than all the customers combined Li," a new voice interrupted. "Now Tika, leave the poor boy alone. He as only been here a week after having traveled here form beyond our boarders."

"Otik!" She exclaimed.

Blinking his eyes owlishly, Hei interjected, "Tika-san, you have some customers."

Spinning around, the girl gasped as some of the regulars came in. They waved towards the attractive read head before noticing Otik and Hei. Walking over towards the two with Tika right behind them, they nodded towards the innkeeper before greeting Hei.

"We if it isn't the young man who has managed to make Otik's famous spiced potatoes even more delicious and mouthwatering," one of the new comers laughed.

"What?" the other man asked, "not working tonight Li?"

Shaking his head Hei noticed Tika move off somewhere when it was clear that the new costumers wanted to talk first. "No, I gave him the day off," Otik answered for him. "Thought it would do him some good to spend the day out in the town since he only goes there when he need's food."

As if on queue, Hei's stomach growled loudly. All three men laughed as their friend's expression turned to embarrassment. "What, not enough food yet Li?"

Smiling fondly at his newest employee, Otik shook his head as he stood. "I'll get you some more potatoes. Would you gentlemen like to take a seat over by the kitchen? I'm sure Tika or one of the other servers will be with you shortly." Nodding in agreement they said their good-byes to Hei and moved off after Otik.

Watching the two men and Otik leave, Hei let his gaze wander over to the table closest to the fire. Taking a better look at those whom Tika was currently interacting with, he settled down into the food he had been eating.

"Here we are, " Hei heard the child-sized customer, a kender, his brain supplied for him, cheerful cried out.

Upon seeing the tall, young red-haired girl looming behind the kender with a tray of mugs, the large warrior with a dragon shaped helmet, Caramon was his name, Hei remembered from a previous conversation they had been having, grinned. "Now, Tanis," he boomed, "guess who this is. You too Flint. If you win, I'll buy this round."

Tucking this new piece of information away, they seemed to be well acquainted with one another or had known each other for a long time. Hei wondered why he was so interested in the group, but dismissed it from his mind. The logical reason was because out of all the people in the inn, they were the only people who were fully armed, more so than others and simply because they were new. Having been here only a week he had seen many people but none as mismatched as this group.

The conformation that the group was old friends was confirmed when the one named Tanis, the contractor's mind supplied again for him, said, "I give up. But then, to elves humans seem to change so rapidly that we loose track. I am one hundred and two, yet seem no more than thirty to you. And to me those hundred years seem as thirty. This you woman must have been a child when we left."

"I was fourteen. " Tika laughed and set the tray down on the table. "And Caramon used to say I was so ugly my father would have to pay someone to marry me."

"Tika!" Flint slammed his fist on the table. "You're buying, you great oaf!" He pointed at Caramon.

"No fair!" The giant laughed. "She gave you a clue."

Hei let his attention drift back to the other conversations taking place as he lost interest in the group. Though, at the mention of a letter and its strange arrival was safely filed away in the assassin's mind. As the door opened again, Hei's mind only half registered the man's name as his gaze locked on the door.

Framed by the doorway, a straight-backed figure dressed in full plate armor and chain mail, the symbol for the Order of the Rose on the breastplate. A great many people in the Inn turned to stare, scowling. The man was a Solamnic Knight, and the Knights of Solamnia had fallen into ill repute up north. Rumors of their corruption had spread even this far south. The few who recognized Sturm as a long-time former resident of Solace shrugged and turned back to their drinks. But it was still more unusual to see a knight in full armor that dated back practically to the Cataclysm!

Hei blinked his eyes before his face went blank, a stoic mask of indifference as cold and uncaring as the winter snow. Tracking the man's movements as he made his way towards the group, Hei got up and left for his room, food all but forgotten.

Going up the stairs and taking a left, Hei entered his room. It was dark and barren, not that he minded. Changing into the clothes he had worn in Tokyo when on missions, the assassin bent down and withdrew a leather bag made of good quality. Withdrawing his custom made two pronged daggers as well as his wire, Hei methodically placed the items in their usual places with practiced ease. Slipping his gloves on, Hei again reached into the bag before taking out his trademark white mask with its joker's smile and purple lightning bolt scar across the right eye. Taking out a small coin purse, Hei dropped his spare clothes into and watched as they vanished, still leaving the purse as weightless and limp as if it had nothing in it. Quickly dropping a small purse of coins into the magic purse, Hei drew closed the purse and secured in one of the pockets on his belt.

He had learned about magic the hard way when he had first woken up and had had a nasty run in with two men garbed in black robes somewhere to the East of Solace. The two men had seemed as surprised and confused as Hei had seemed annoyed and confused at the disorienting arrival. Hei's day had gone from bad to worse and when the humans had started moving towards their belts and their stances became defensive, the assassin had wasted no time in slamming his knife into one of the strange men before wrapping one of his wires around the other's throat, cutting of the last of the man's words. He then proceeded in smashing the dead man's companion into the ground and dislocating his opponent's right shoulder and left arm at the elbow.

The black robed man, he later learned was a wizard, hadn't stood a change as Hei ruthlessly interrogated the man squeezing every bit of information that he had out of him. By the time he was done with the wizard, his face, if it could be called that, had been an unrecognizable pile flesh. Out of habit Hei had activated his power and sent a jolt of electricity to the man's heart, stopping it cold. He had been mildly surprised and pleased that his contractor's ability still worked on this land called Abanasinia. The next logical thing to do was loot the body for any valuable items, thus he had obtained the bag, money and magic purse among as two small knives. Finishing his preparations, Hei made his way back down the stairs to the common room. Not once did he look back.

The assassin re-entered the room just as a drunken voice, The Theocrat Hedrick, Hei's mind quickly interjected, shrieked, "Blasphemy!" He weaved unsteadily on his feet, pointing at an old man. "Heretic! Corrupting our youth! I'll bring you before the counshel, old man." The seeker fell back a step, then staggered forward again. He looked around the room with a pompous air. "Call the guardsh!" He made a grandiose gesture. "Have them arresht thish man and thish woman for singing lewd songsh. Obviously a witch! I'll confishcate thish staff!"

Just as the seeker lurched across the floor to the barbarian woman, who was staring at him in disgust, a grip tha seemed to be made of iron jerked hi to a stop. Glaring at the hand, the Theocrat followed the arm attached to the hand to the face of a young man with pale skin and blue eyes that seemed more a reminiscent of the night sky than eyes. Smiling pleasantly at the drunken High Theocrat, Hei spoke, "I believe that the staff belongs to the woman, please settle down before you upset the other guests. Or do I have to escort you out like I did the night before?"

"Impudent boy!" the Seeker sneered. "I am high Theocrat! I take what I want."

Just as he wrenched his hand from Hei's grip, the contractor's foot shot out as he sent a jolt of electricity at the other man's leg causing him to loose feeling. Completely unprepared the drunken high Theocrat failed his arms wildly and lurched forward too far as he tried to righten himself. Tripping, he fell head first into the roaring fire.

There was a whoosh and a flare of light, then a sickening smell of burning flesh. The Theocrat's scream tore through the stunned silence as the crazed man leaped to his feet and started whirling around in a frenzy. He had become a living torch!

Tanis and the others sat, unable to move, paralyzed with the shock of the incident as Hei blinked his eyes, trying to come up with a rational answer to why the man was doing the most illogical thing to try and put our the fire. Tasselhoff had wits enough to run forward, anxiously trying to help, but to no avail.

"Here," the old man grabbed the barbarian's feather decorated staff and handed it to the Kender. "Knock him down. Then we can smother the fire."

Tasselehoff took the staff. He swung it, using all his strength, and hit the Theocrat square in the chest. The man fell to the ground. There was a gasp from the crowd. Hei narrowed his eyes as the flames died instantly. The man's robes were whole, undamaged. His skin was pink and healthy. Said man stood up, a look of fear and awe on his face. He stared down at his hands and his robes. There was not a mark on his skin. There was not the smallest cinder smoking on his robes.

"It healed him," Hei muttered to himself just as the old man proclaimed, "the staff! Look at the staff!"

Tasslehoff's eyes went to the staff in his hands. Hei silently and unnoticed by all except one person, into the crowd and towards Tika. Lightly tapping her on the shoulder as the chaos unfolded before his eyes, the contractor murmured, "you should get your friends out of here."

"Call the guards! Arrest the kender! Arrest the barbarians! Arrest their friends! I saw them come in with this knight." The old man pointed at Sturm. "And arrest the young man who stopped the Theocrat from taking the staff!"

Dragging Hei as she ran over to her friends, "you have to get out of here!" Tika gasped, her breath coming in short wheezes. "The whole town's been hunting for that staff! Those hooded men told the Theocrat they'd destroy Solace if they caught someone harboring the staff. The towns people will turn you over to the guards!"

"But it's not our staff!" Tanis protested. He glared at the old man and saw him settle back into his chair, a pleased smile on his face. The old man grinned at Tanis and winked. Turning his head back to Tika he asked, "And who is that young man with you? Do you know each other?" Tanis asked.

"Do you think they will believe you? And what kind of question is that anyway?" Tika shot back as she wrung her hands.

"I hate to interrupt, but look," Hei interjected softly.

Tanis looked around. People were glaring at them balefully. Some took a firm grip on their mugs. Others eased their hands onto the hilt of their swords. Shouts from down below drew his eyes back to his friends and the youth with eyes that looked like the night sky.

"The guards are coming!" Tika exclaimed.

Tanis rose, "We'll have to go though the kitchen."

"Yes!" She nodded. "They won't look back there yet. But hurry. It won't take them long to surround the place."

Hei nodded his head as he watched how effectively the group reacted as a team, it strangely reminded him of his team when they were in the South American Wars. Scanning the room, Hei took notice that the knight was the only one who didn't seem ready to flee even though it was the most logical thing to do under the circumstances.

"Sturm!" Tanis said urgently. "Come one! We've got to get out of here!"

"Run?" The knight appeared astonished. "From this rabble?"

"Yes," Tanis paused; the knight's code of honor forbade running from danger. He had to convince him. "That man is a religious fanatic, Sturm. He'll probably burn us at the stake! And" – a thought struck him – "there is a lady to protect."

Hei grew board with the whole talk between the companions; after all it didn't really concern him. Turning to Tika, the assassin murmured, "I will be waiting at the bottom of the drop. I will see if I can convince the cook today to not try to stop us."

Nodding her head, Tika barely noticed Hei as he slipped through the kitchen and out of sight. Nodding to the cook, Hei struck up a pleasant conversation before lightly shocking him with his power just enough to knock him out. Quietly, the contractor dragged the now unconscious cook around the counter and out of sight before resuming his way back to the hole with a forty foot drop. Ignoring the rope, Hei glanced back over his shoulder as the rest of the misfit group came barging in. Satisfied, Hei jumped, disappearing into the churning darkness. But not before casting the man with the dragon wing helmet and the man in red robe, Raistlin, and Caramon, a blank glance. Landing silently on the ground below, Hei slipped unnoticed into the shadow to wait. After all, this was the most rational path considering he knew next to nothing outside Solace.

**So, that is it for the first chapter. **

**I hope that you all enjoyed. FYI if you don't know about Darker than Black or Dragon Lance I highly suggest that you look it up online just so you know roughly what this fic is about. **

**Though if you don't that is fine as well. :D**

**Hye-suk Kim**


	2. Chapter 2: Flight into Darkness part 1

**Sorry for the late update, school, tests, and health related issues have consumed my life. Ugh! It's so annoying. Anyway, I hope to update at least once a month if not more frequently. Hope you enjoy this newest installment of this fanfic. **

**Disclaimer: **

**Dragonlance and Darker than Black to don't belong to me.**

Chapter 2

Flight into the Darkness

Caramon stood and stared in shock as the young man that had been with Tika jumped through the hole from forty feet in the air and his eyes could barely make out the man's shadow as he landed on the ground without a sound. Turning to his twin, Caramon and Raistlin shared a look, it was clear that the young man was more than he let on. The sound of running feet drew closer and the rest of the companions as well as the two barbarians came to a halt at the exit.

"Ah!" exclaimed Tas, laughing. "Here the ale comes up and the garbage goes down." He swung out onto the rope and shinned down easily.

"I'm sorry about this, " Tika apologized to Goldmoon, "but it is the only way out of here."

"I can climb down a rope." Then the woman smiled and added. "Though I admit it has been many years."

She handed her staff to her companion and grasped the stout rope. She began to descend, moving skillfully hand over hand. When she reached the bottom, her companion tossed the staff down, swung on the rope, and dropped through the hole.

As the other barbarian moved to follow the woman, Tanis looked around the room. A frown marred his face as he failed to see the young man who had stopped the high lord and in had ended up in the current predicament with the rest of the small group.

"Tika, were is the young man who was with us?" Tanis questioned.

Looking around, Tika shrugged before replying, "he said he would make sure the cook gave you no trouble and went on ahead. I wouldn't worry too much about him. He can hold his own in a fight if he has too." Biting her lip, the red head added, "after all, from what we were able to learn from what he told us, he has been traveling for along time."

"He's at the bottom," Raistlin whispered after Tika finished. A strange glint flickered in his golden eyes before disappearing making Tanis wonder if it had truly been there to begin with.

"What?" the knight blinked.

"You heard me knight, he is at the bottom waiting with the kender and the barbarians," Raistlin sneered.

Trying keep peace between his brother and friend, Caramon asked his brother, "how are you going to get down, Rasit. I can carry you on my back ––"

Raistlin's eyes flashed with anger that startled Tanis as the mage's ire was redirected at his brother. "I can get down myself!" the mage hissed. Before anyone could stop him, he stepped to the edge of the hole and leaped out into the air. Everyone gasped and peered down, expecting to see Raistlin splattered all over the ground. Instead, they say the young mage gently floating down, his robes fluttered around him. The crystal on his staff glowed brightly.

"He shivers my skin!" Flint growled to Tanis.

†

Hei watched as all the members finished their descent before slipping off towards the group. They seemed startled to see him. Smiling at the group assembled before him, Hei raised his hands in a peaceful gesture as he continued his approached. Humans with their emotions could be unpredictable at times. Once he was close enough to be heard, he glanced at Tika as she whispered, "go to my house." Before vanishing from sight.

Cocking his head, he glanced around at the others before speaking, "I assume you all know the way to Tika-san's house?"

"San?" replied Raistlin softly.

Blinking his eyes in fake confusion, Hei rubbed the back of his head in a childish manner as he flicked his gaze around the group briefly. He had long ago learned that small gesture, that imitated that of a child, seemed to unconsciously cause people to lower their guard. The contractor was proven correct when all present, except the magic user, he noted relaxed slightly. Filing that small bit of information way for latter, Hei retorted, "where I come from it's a form of respect. In your culture it's like saying Madam, Sir, or Lady."

Not waiting to see the other's reaction, Hei slipped away into the darkness. To most people, it would simply look as if he had vanished form the spot. Making his way to Tika's house, the contractor silently took out the spare key that Tika had given him and unlocked the door. Entering the small dwelling, Hei closed and locked the door behind him and slipped the key into one of the pockets on his belt and took up a chair in the small living room to wait.

What happened to the staff or the others didn't really matter to Hei as he lost himself in his thoughts. So long as he could find a way back to Tokyo and find his sister, he didn't really care about the out come of the war that was plaguing the country. He briefly wondered were the rest of his teammates were and entertained the idea of how to find them. Having them with him would definitely make finding his sister and get back to Tokyo and thus Amber, a whole lot easier. He would be lying if he said that he didn't completely care about Huang, Mao, and Yin. They had become a sort of makeshift family to him and in his own way he cared about them.

A small smile flickered across his lips as remembered how he had gotten the key in the first place. He had spent the first month building up his contacts in both Solace and Haven. Soon after he made a formal appearance in Solace were he felt the most at home with the towns huge trees that reminded Hei of the buildings and skyscrapers of Tokyo. He had come to the Inn of Last Homes and had make friends with the cook, that he had been introduced to Otik while help cook some of the meals. He wasn't sure how he had ended up with a job at Otik's inn but he had. It was here that he had met Tika.

She had immediately taken a liking to Hei and in Tika's opinion had become fast friends. She had quickly learned that Hei tended to spend too much time to himself and had given him her spare key saying that if he ever got tired of living in the room that Otik provided him with, he could bunk with her at her house. He was jerked form his thoughts when the faint sound of the door unlocking reached his ears before swinging open. Hei slipped from his chair and stood with his back to the wall has the form of Tas came into view.

"Come in," the kender's voice reached him as Tas waved the rest of the company into the house.

To say that they were shocked to see Hei there before them and inside the house waiting for them was an understatement. "How did you get here before us!" Sturm demanded in a quiet but angry voice. "Explain yourself!"

The contractor had learned that in this world, trust was hard gained and that unlike Tokyo, people tended to look deeper than appearance. Holding his hands up in a peaceful gesture as he took out the spare key that Tika had given him. Deciding that the best way to defuse that tension in the room was to appear as non-threatening as possible. Giving a sheepish look, Hei rubbed the back of his head in a childlike manner.

"Tika-san gave me her spare key," he paused before scowling, "she said something about me needing a proper meal that wasn't at the Inn."

In the back of his mind, Hei vaguely registered the man in red robes stirring up the fire as the kender pulled the curtains closed. Caramon stood near the window, starring out into the darkness. Shifting to the curious eyes of Tanis, Flint, Raistlin, and the angry eyes of Sturm, Hei quickly focused his attention on the woman and her staff.

"Your staff healed that man, how?"

"I don't' know," she stuttered as she gazed from Hei then to the staff then back to Hei again. "I-I haven't had it very long."

Tanis looked down at his hands. They were bleeding, Hei noted absently. The skin had peeled off leaving them red and bloody. He held them out to her. Slowly, her face pale, the woman touched him with the staff. It began to glow blue. Narrowing his eyes, imperceptibly, the contractor noted the similarity between it and the blue glow that seemed to emanate from contactors when they used their power back home. While the glow contractors gave out was blue in color as well, theirs seemed darker, more menacing than the calming glow surrounding the staff.

The assassin's thoughts were interrupted as Tanis exclaimed, "True healing."

The contractor glanced at the magic user as he sat down by the hearth, rubbing his thin hands in the warmth of the small fire. His golden eyes seemed brighter than the flames as he stared intently at the blue crystal staff resting across the woman's lap. Hei pretended to look out the window as the other man's eyes shifted his direction.

"What do you think?" asked Tanis.

"If she's a charlatan, she's a good one," Raistlin commented thoughtfully.

"Worm! You dare to call the Chieftain's Daughter charlatan!" The tall barbarian stepped toward Raistlin, his dark brows contracted in a vicious scowl. Caramon made a low rumble in his throat and moved from the window to stand behind his brother.

"Riverwind…" The woman laid her hand on the man's arm as he drew near her chair. "Please. He meant no harm. It is right that they do not trust us. They do not know us."

"And we do not know them," the man growled.

Hei watched quietly form his position near the back of the room. Hei agreed with the man named Riverwind, trust was something that was hard earned and rarely kept. However in this case the assassin would stay with these people and see what they could do and how they could benefit him in returning to Tokyo.

A bright flash of blue light and a crackling sound had the contractor on the defense as he pulled out one of his blades and assumed a defensive stance. The mage jerked his hand back, crying out in pain and shock. Caramon jumped forward, but his brother stopped him. Seeing no immediate danger, Hei quickly sheathed his weapon but not before the knight locked gaze with him. Mistrust and anger had been replaced with curiosity and intrigue.

Hei mentally cursed as his face resumed its normal apathetic and cold look. He waited for what he knew would come. Frankly, he was surprised that he had been able to maintain the somewhat modified persona of Li Shensheng as long as he had. Rationally he knew that his cover would be blown eventually and formed a way to salvage what he could to reduce their suspicion of him. After all, the contractor rationalized, anyone of them could be from the Syndicate trying to kill him.

Hei glanced at the mage and the half-elf as Raistlin continued with his explanation. "No, Caramon. The Lady had nothing to do with that."

The woman indeed, was staring at the staff in amazement.

"What is it then?' Tanis asked in exasperation before sparing a glance at the pale young man in the corner. "A staff that heals and injures at the same time?"

"It merely knows its owner." Raistlin licked his lips, his eyes glittering. "Watch. Caramon, take the staff."

"Not me!" The warrior drew back as if from a snake.

"Take the staff!" Raistlin demanded.

Reluctantly, Caramon stretched out a trembling hand. His arm twitched as his fingers came closer and closer. Closing his eyes and gritting his teeth in anticipation of pain, he touched the staff. Nothing happened. Hei's eyes widened in surprise as he stored this new bit of information away. This world certainly was full of useful things.

"See there." Raistlin gestured like an illusionist showing off a trick to the crowd. "Only those of simple goodness, pure in heart" –– his sarcasm was biting –– "may touch the staff. It is truly a sacred staff of healing, blessed by some god. It is not magic. No magic objects that I have ever heard about have healing power."

Hei eyed the Solamic knight as he opened his mouth, but his attention was diverted when the kender spoke.

"Hush!" ordered Tasslehoff, who had taken Caramon's place by the window. "The Theocrat's guards!" he warned softly.

No one spoke. Now they could all hear goblin footsteps flapping on the bridge-walks that ran among the branches of the Vallenwood trees.

"They're conducting a house-to-house search!" Tanis whispered incredulously, listening to fists banging on a neighboring door!" he whispered. "Caramon––"

But the warrior had already moved over to stand behind the door, his back to the wall, his giant hands flexing. Hei watched as everyone hid out of sight and joined in as he stood by the giant warrior silently as he listened to the footsteps stop outside.

"The Seeker demand right of entry!" croaked a voice. There was a pause, then the same voice said, "No one home, do we kick the door in?"

"Naw," said another voice. "We'd better just report to the Theocrat, let him kick the door down. Now if it was unlocked, that'd be different, we're allowed to enter then."

Hei glanced at the door opposite Tanis and was again amazed at the irrationality of the group he had ended up with. Not only had the knight tried to fight a loosing battle, but now they had left the door open slightly. Hei knew for a fact that it had not been he, who had left the door open and so concluded that one of the others had, most likely the kender, the contractor rationalized. None of the others except the mage's brother seemed like the type to make such an elementary mistake. Hei wasn't truly worried about what would happen, he could take care of himself and if worst came to worst, he could always kill the night patrol and slip out of Solace unnoticed by anyone.

After some mental debating, Hei decided to stay with the group instead of heading off before the small group was detected. After all, he was quite curious as to what the others would come up with as a plan, deciding it was a tactically sound way to gauge his temporary traveling companions' mental capacity to function under pressure and limited time to formulate tactical plans.


	3. Chapter 3: Flight into Darkness part 2

**Disclaimer:**

**I do not own Darker than Black or DragonLance.**

**Previously:**

**"The Seeker demand right of entry!" croaked a voice. There was a pause, then the same voice said, "No one home, do we kick the door in?"**

**"Naw," said another voice. "We'd better just report to the Theocrat, let him kick the door down. Now if it was unlocked, that'd be different, we're allowed to enter then."**

**Hei glanced at the door opposite Tanis and was again amazed at the irrationality of the group he had ended up with. Not only had the knight tried to fight a loosing battle, but now they had left the door open slightly. Hei knew for a fact that it had not been he, who had left the door open and so concluded that one of the others had, most likely the kender, the contractor rationalized. None of the others except the mage's brother seemed like the type to make such an elementary mistake. Hei wasn't truly worried about what would happen, he could take care of himself and if worst came to worst, he could always kill the night patrol and slip out of Solace unnoticed by anyone.**

**After some mental debating, Hei decided to stay with the group instead of heading off before the small group was detected. After all, he was quite curious as to what the others would come up with as a plan, deciding it was a tactically sound way to gauge his temporary traveling companions' mental capacity to function under pressure and limited time to formulate tactical plans.**

Chapter 3

Flight into darkness part 2

"The door!" Tanis whispered. "Caramon ––"

But the warrior had already moved over to stand behind the door, his back to the wall, his giant hands flexing.

The footsteps flapped to a stop outside.

"The Seekers demand right of entry." The goblin began to bang on the door; then stopped in surprise as it swung open.

"This place is empty," said one. "Let's move on."

"You got no imagination, Grum," said the other. "Here's our chance to pick up a few pieces of silver."

A goblin head appeared around the open door. Its eyes focused on Raistlin, sitting calmly, his staff on his shoulder. The goblin grunted in alarm, then began to laugh.

"Oh, ho!" Look what we've found! A staff!" The goblin's eyes gleamed. It took a step toward Raistlin, its partner crowding close behind. "Hand me that staff!"

A cruel smile hidden by the shadows cast in the light of the fire twitched on thin lips. "Certainly," the mage whispered. He held his own staff forth. "_Shirak," _he said. The crystal ball flared into light. The goblins shrieked and shut their eyes, fumbling for their swards. At the at moment Caramon jumped from behind the door, grabbed the goblins around their necks, and swept their heads together with a sickening thud. The goblin bodies crumpled into a stinking heap.

Hei was actually impressed that the rag-tag band of misfits was able to come together and make up a workable solution to the problem. The red robed mage's staff intrigued Hei as did the man himself. Was he a contractor as well? However, it wasn't until Hei examined the bodies with a critical eye that he realized the one flaw in the calculation. The large warrior's strength had been too great and the bodies that looked to be unconscious were in fact, dead. Hei listened to the conversation around him and had to stop himself from making a comment about how illogical the humans where being about the whole situation.

"–– we've got to get out of here! And you three" –– Tanis turned to the barbarians and Hei –– "had better come with us."

Hei blinked. "Wherever are we going?"

"We were headed to Haven," the barbarian answered reluctantly. "I have no idea where they" –– Riverwind made a vague gesture in Tanis's direction –– "where going."

"There are wise men there," Goldmoon added. "We hoped they could tell us about this staff. You see, the song I sang – it was true: the staff saved our lives ––"

"You'll have to tell us later," Tanis interrupted. "When these guards don't report back, every goblin in Solace will be swarming up the trees. Raistlin, put out that light."

The mage spoke another word, "_Dumak._" The crystal glimmered then, the light died.

Hei, didn't bother to listen to the plan Tanis was constructing and had moved towards the kitchen. The contractor honestly didn't really care what the rest of the party did to cover their tracts. While the concept was not new to him, Hei was used to not making a mess in the first place and thus, a clean up was very seldom needed. Once in the kitchen, Hei let his eyes wander to the set of knives that Tika had. It would do him no good to use the dead wizard's daggers or his own, rather unusual weapons of choice is this unknown land. Taking a well-balanced meat knife, Hei added it to his magic purse. It irked him to know that the kinder had tried to pilfer from him but a jolt of electricity had stopped any further attempt.

He slipped back to the rest of the group was the kinder scuttled off to raid Tika's kitchen for any food. He watched with thinly veiled amusement as the small creature tossed Flint a full skin of wine and the knight and warrior overturned furniture and arranged the bodies. For people who were no masters at the art covering up a murder scene.

"You are doing incorrectly," Hei stated simply after Caramon had finished arranging the bodies. Everyone froze as Hei's quiet remark.

"Like you could do much better!" Sturm snarled. It appeared as if he was still miffed about the contractor making it to the house before them all.

Not bothering with a reply, Hei tossed a few pieces of silver on the floor between the two bodies and slightly moved one of the goblin's hand's to clamp around one of the pieces of silver before dropping the hand with a thump. With the other guard, he placed the hilt of the sword in the dead things hand before extending the limp appendage outward and dropping it.

Blinking rapidly as if coming out of a trance, Hei looked around him and gave a nervous laugh, "_sumi masen,_ but this seemed like a more ideal situation. I mean, the goblins were talking about finding silver so I…I…thought I could help out before we head off to where ever we are going."

Tanis seemed to have been trying to find a solution to their destination. "We will travel north," he said finally. "We will escort these two until we come to the crossroads, and Li as well. Then we can decide what to do from there. They can go on southwest to Haven, if they wish. I, however, plan on traveling farther north and see if the rumors about armies gathering are true."

"And perhaps run into Kitiara," Raistlin whispered slyly.

Tanis flushed. "Is that plan all right?" he asked, looking around.

Hei briefly considered his options. On one hand he could go with the two barbarians and create a new life in Haven or travel north with the rest –– as there was no doubt in his mind that they would travel with the half elf –– and have a better chance of finding a way home. The other option for him was to travel alone. The assassin almost immediately discarded the notion with a sneer. He did not know the land, he had no knowledge of what lay out there and the dangers were too high. His mind mad up Hei wondered if he would come to regret this decision.

"Though not the eldest among us, Tanis, you are the wisest," Sturm said. "We follow you –– as always."

Caramon nodded. Raistlin was already heading for the door. The dwarf shouldered the wine skin, grumbling.

"We are grateful," Goldmoon said slowly, as if unused to expressing appreciation. "You risk your lives for us, and we are strangers."

Tanis smiled and clasped her hand. "I am Tanis. The brothers are Caramon and Raistlin. The knight is Sturm Brightblade. Flint Fireforge carries the wine and Tasslehoff Burrfoot is our clever locksmith."

Stepping up to Goldmoon, Hei gave a convincing smile, his dark blue eyes warm for once. "And I am Li Shensheng. A friend of Tika and an informant to my clan."

The woman's clear blue eyes, so different to Hei's own widened in reorganization. "You were the young man who stopped that drunk man from attacking me! You have my thanks."

Hei nodded shyly before ambling out the door to find the others of this odd group he had through his lot with.

†

Soon everyone had gone, Tas leading the way. Tanis stood alone in fro a moment in the wrecked living room, staring at the bodies of the goblins. He couldn't help but feel resentment towards everything that had happened. This was supposed to have been a peaceful homecoming after bitter years of solitary travel. He though of his comfortable house. He though of all the things he had planned to do – things he had planned to do together with Kitiara. He thought of long winter nights, with storytelling around the fire at the Inn, then returning home, laughing together beneath the fur blankets, sleeping through the snow-covered mornings. Tanis couldn't help but also feel a twinge of guilt when thinking of the innocent if somewhat awkward young man who had been forced to join them in their flight from Solace.

Tanis kicked at the smoldering coals with a boot-clad foot, scattering them. There was no use in dwelling in the 'what ifs'. The reality was that Kitiara had not come and goblins had invaded the quiet town. He and his friends were fleeing into the night to escape a bunch of religious fanatics and zealots, with every likelihood he could not return. He heaved a sigh as the weariness of the world seemed to press down on him. He sensed change coming, felt the disquieting restlessness men feel before a thunderstorm.

He sighed and shook his head. Then he slipped out through the shattered door, leaving it to swinging crazily on one hinge. Never once did he notice the faint outline of a dark shadowed figure watching him with cold, emotionless midnight blue eyes.


End file.
